LIFT Issue 10 - Autumn 2013

ISSUE 10: AUTUMN 2013 PLEASE MAKE A GOLD COIN DONATION

singing together Meet worship leader Jo Cheyne

never too old to be useful

Fay and Trevor Walker

the “i am” challenge Amber Deeble and Rebecca Smith

terrY bush

You only come to this place once

from the senior pastor

Last year over a casual dinner with friends it was suggested that our family might enjoy operating a hot fries stall at the Parachute Music Festival at Mystery Creek at the end of January.

It sounded like a fun thing, but as the reality set in I recognised the significant amount of effort required to be a food vendor. Having never done anything like this before, we had to build a brand, build a frontage, build a business plan, and work out what equipment would be needed and how much product to have available.

On Wednesday 23 January I headed down to Mystery Creek with my teenage son and nephew and began the build of “Harry’s Pies and Fries.” What followed were five days of absolute craziness as we sold close to 3,000 pies, over 4,000 punnets of fries and wedges, and about 2,600 drinks.

At the time I wondered how I could have been so stupid to let it get to that point, but on reflection, and after a few good sleeps to make up for the zero sleep experienced at Parachute, I realised the experience was beneficial. Firstly, it put us way outside our comfort zone. With no history and no working knowledge of food preparation (but my business plan looked great – my area of experience!) there was a lot of guessing going on and a lot of frontend investment that I wondered whether we’d get back. Secondly, the opportunity to work with our teenage kids and five of our nephews who live at the other end of the island was priceless – a lot of laughing went on in an environment that none of us was used to. Thirdly, I didn’t think about church life for a single second for at least five days. My mind was fully occupied on pies and fries and ovens and fryers and power cords and heat and exhaustion, so I guess it was kind of like a holiday from church!

Certainly it was an experience like no other – which in itself is valuable.

Going outside our comfort zone and being challenged to our core is definitely uncomfortable, but is often where the most learning goes on. Recently someone sent me a picture of a frame, which was described as a comfort zone. Well outside the frame was a dot with a speech bubble that said “This is where the magic happens.” I pray we might all be comfortable with being challenged in many areas of our lives, especially in our faith.

Trusting Jesus for all of life is never particularly easy, and in this episode of LIFT you’ll read of people’s experiences of doing just that, even through the tough seasons of life. But I am a believer that this is where the magic happens, where we learn and experience God in new and fresh ways.

May 2013 be an uncomfortable year for us all, because this is where the greatest learning happens.

Peace Grant Harris Senior Pastor

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Contents 4

Editorial Pastor Grant Harris

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Fay & Trevor Walker Never Too Old to be Useful

Snippets What’s happening at Windsor?

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In the Shelter of the Most High

Senior Pastor Grant Harris Advertising Bert Holl advertise.lift@gmail.com

ISSN 2230-2646

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Amber Deeble & Rebecca Smith The “I Am” Challenge

Editor Julie Belding editor@liftmagazine.org Design & Production Lewis Hurst lewis@hcreative.co.nz 0211466404

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Theosart

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Terry Bush You Only Come to This Place Once

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Margaret & Dennis Barber “Sums All Day”

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Your Questions Answered Pastor Grant Harris

Writers Pam Bedwell, Grant Harris, David Knell, Iain Litterick, Cliff Miller, Helen Rayner, Sophie Rice Elle Treweek Lift is a member of Photographers the Australasian Ash Binnie, Belinda Bradley, Religious Press Devin Hart, Dani Mackay Association.

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Jo Cheyne Singing Together

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Cliff Miller “Please don’t take me now!”

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Poem

by Dani Mackay

Lift (“Life Integrating Faith Together”) is the quarterly magazine of Windsor Park Baptist Church, PO Box 65385, Mairangi Bay, Auckland 0654. Its aim and vision is to reveal members of the church serving God in all their diversity.

Ideas and articles for future issues are welcome.

Contact the editor at editor@liftmagazine.org LIFT MAGAZINE 3

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Supporting Christchurch

While the media pictures and stories coming out of the Christchurch earthquakes have decreased, the needs of people in that area have not. In many ways they’re increasing as time goes by and rebuilding is delayed. The Baptist Churches of NZ are lining up churches in Canterbury with churches in other parts of the country for support and encouragement.

Windsor Park has been lined up with Kaiapoi Baptist in north Canterbury and this project is being embraced by our Beyond the Walls Team, who oversee our support to people and projects outside the daily operation of Windsor Park. Recently Grant and Jo Harris spent a couple of days with the team at Kaiapoi to assess how our relationship with Kaiapoi can grow. “The folks at Kaiapoi have been a pillar of strength to their neighbourhood,” Grant reports. “Even though pretty much everyone in the church has been physically affected, they’re still constantly reaching out – Jesus’ hands and feet in action.” Over the coming months there’ll be opportunities for Windsor Park to get involved with Kaiapoi in various ways, so watch this space and get ready to roll your sleeves up!

Indoor Soccer

Small Fries

We work hard at connecting people into the life of Windsor Park.

It’s a complex jigsaw puzzle as no two people are the same and individual needs vary, but we are blessed to have a huge range of opportunities for people to get involved with. Here’s one that’s been growing this past year: on Monday nights at the Murrays Bay Intermediate gym a group of [largely] young adults have been meeting to play indoor soccer.

Over this year the numbers of people rolling up have been growing and the competitive nature of sport is carefully nurtured! Teams are divided up at the start of the night and a round-robin competition follows, with someone sharing their testimony and “God-perspectives” at half time for a bit of inspiration.

It’s a highly charged evening, with plenty of cold showers and washing needed in the late hours!

In this environment relationships are grown as natural interaction occurs and friendships are birthed. Connection happens. We love it when these organic events develop, as one person has an idea and the courage to get things rolling. Now they’re talking about having this group on two nights a week to accommodate everyone. Great stuff!

We keep telling you this story because it’s such a good one! A few years ago we had a dream about how the McDonald’s restaurant at our front gateway could be used for the continued ministry of Windsor Park Baptist Church. To cut a long story short, Small Fries Christian Childcare Centre recently celebrated its first anniversary. On its first anniversary (8 February) Small Fries had 90 children attending at various times during the week, from 81 different families, with 11 more families on the waiting list for 2013. Seventy-five per cent of these families have no church affiliation. This was a significant reason for opening Small Fries -- we wanted the community to experience the warmth of God. And on a Sunday it’s one of the best preschool Sunday Schools around! But better than any numbers are the stories we constantly hear – words like “There’s something different at Small Fries,” and “My kids are settled and don’t want to go home after a day at Small Fries!” We are pleased with its first year of operation.

Contact Shelley Thornton (manager) for a guided tour or check out their website at www.smallfries.org.nz

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is not so small

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New Club at Windsor Park Twelve months ago we opened a childcare centre for kids, and recently we (Equip) opened a new care centre that provides respite care for people with dementia. It’s called the Totara Club and operates five-days a week from the Totara room, to the left of the auditorium. The Totara Club provides a safe place where people with dementia are cared for and where they can maintain and improve physical, social, cultural and cognitive

The Renovating Continues Just over sixteen years ago the members of Murrays Bay Baptist Church made a bold decision to relocate from their Murrays Bay site to a tavern complex in Windsor Park, and rename themselves the Windsor Park Baptist Church. Since then the buildings have been extensively remodelled, altered, added to, changed, fixed, repainted and reconfigured. Recently, as part of our on-going planning, the elders held a retreat to discuss future buildings and community life and how the two merge. From those discussions has come the decision to plan a significant remodelling of our auditorium and foyer – to increase the size of both. There are many reasons behind this, but one is to try to reduce our morning services to two, to enable greater flexibility and more time for people to build relationships. It is early days in this process. There will be the dreaming and pricing, and then the changing of the dream to make it affordable! But it will be a big deal in the story of Windsor Park, and we’re dropping the seed now. We’ll definitely keep you informed about the project, as we’ll need a good chunk of people on board with the fundraising.

well-being, at the same time allowing their carers to have some time out.

As our longevity increases, so too does the range of health issues we need to deal with in our community.

Dementia is at the forefront of this (although we acknowledge it affects more than the elderly.) In obtaining this contract from the District Health Board, Equip CEO Naomi Cowan said, “The DHB really like the diverse range of activities happening on the Windsor Park site that might allow some of these people to interact in a broad range of them.”

While it’s funded by the DHB for a certain number of people, the Totara Club also accepts private clients, so if you know people whom this service might benefit, contact the Equip front office on 477-0338 or email them on frontdesk@equip.net.nz

We’re All In This Together

We recently held our first “Parents’ Night” at Windsor Park where we invited parents of kids in our children’s or youth programmes to come along and hear about the bigger picture of these ministries -- partnership with those at home. Realistically our impact into the lives of young people can be measured in small numbers. For instance, if you were to bring your child to windsorKIDS every week of the year that windsorKIDs was operating, we’d only see them for 50 hours a year (about the same amount of time that a parent sees the same child every week). In effect it’s only a small amount of input that we can have, but we try to make that impact the best it can be.

So we want to keep talking about how we can help those at home to input more of God’s love into their kids and grandkids – in effect we’re in partnership with each other. It’s great to hear stories of how this already happens and to encourage those who need a hand, so these nights are about sharing stories and encouraging those around us. As the song goes, “We’re all in this together.”

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You Only Come to This Place Once by

“You only come to this place once, so enjoy it while you can.”

Terry Bush has certainly lived up to his maxim.

I went to see him at his home in Hillcrest. A tall, strong man, evidently very fit, with close cropped hair and looking much like a retired soldier – which he is. After greeting me warmly at the door he led me upstairs, and over a coffee we went over his remarkable career.

He dumped a huge bundle of old passports on the table.

“It’s all in there,” he says with a grin.

Terry was born in Thames in 1946 to Captain Len Bush and Doreen. When Terry was a young boy the family moved to Auckland for a better education. Len was a deep sea captain, but after the move worked on ferry boats. He and his brother Ernie bought the 76 foot steam coaster Onewa in the early 50s.The Onewa was well known around the Hauraki Gulf, delivering freight and passengers to Kawai. Building a house on the island was more of a challenge in those days. Building materials were dropped in the water to be hauled ashore by the anxious house owner.

David Knell photos by Devin Hart

Doreen was a staunch Baptist. Since there were no churches in Thames, Doreen organised cottage meetings. On settling in Birkenhead, Doreen and Len established the first Baptist church at Verrans Corner, just down from the present shops. When I asked Terry how he came to faith in Christ, his reply was “At the end of my mother’s big stick!”

He is quick to admit, however, that over the years God has blessed him with a rich and abundant life.

After completing school at Northcote College, Terry went into the Army.

“It taught me three things that have always been with me,” he said. “How to iron a shirt, how to polish shoes, and discipline.” It was all part of the training for greater things to come.

After the Army, Terry was elected to the Birkenhead Council at the age of 23. He said his parents were good people who had encouraged him and his three sisters to talk about all sorts of things, and this was no doubt valuable during his councillor years. Terry realised that up to that point, all the rates were being directed to the needs of the older people in the community (roads and bowling greens, for example) but there were no amenities for LIFT MAGAZINE 7

feature the younger ones. Terry set out to change that, and during his term had playgrounds and a swimming pool set up.

Terry was looking for a better career choice, and thinking that food was one of the basic necessities of life, found employment with Goodfellow.

Sir William Goodfellow was a leader in the dairy industry, eventually building it up to become the giant New Zealand Cooperative Dairy Company, of which he was the managing director. When the UK joined the European Economic Community in 1973, our exports of New Zealand meat and dairy products dropped dramatically, and something had to be done. In the 1980s Terry was chosen by the company to go to Russia and broker a deal. Meat, dairy and fertilizer exports to Russia were wholly or partly paid for in contra deals such as imports of Belarus tractors, Stolichnaya vodka and Lada cars.

As a result the New Zealand Dairy Board ended up being distributors for Lada vehicles. Some of those Ladas are still around in enthusiast’s garages.

Terry did not like Russia at all. “It was cold, and the people drank a lot and were smelly. They didn’t wash for two weeks at a time,” he said.

Terry’s next assignment was the Middle East. supermarket with stainless steel cabinets, all Colin Moyle was the Minister of Agriculture supplied from home. New Zealand butchers in David Lange’s government, and was came too. The Arabs didn’t understand the instrumental in opening up New Zealand’s different cuts of meat, and so these were meat trade with the Middle East. Terry spent numbered instead. ten years in Bahrain and loved every minute I asked Terry if, looking back over the years, of it. He quickly picked up the language (he there were times his Christian faith impacted still tends to think in Arabic) and came to an his career. understanding of the Muslims. At that time “Definitely,” he said. “I always felt God Sheik Easer was the ruler of Bahrain, and was was with me. I always carried a Bible. On one not against Christians. Terry made good friends occasion I was out running at night along a with him. Terry had played rugby for Auckland, sandy road. Suddenly I had a strong feeling this and so it was a natural to captain a rugby team was not right. I stopped in my tracks, turned in Bahrain for the New Zealanders who were around and went back home. The next day I working there, which the Sheik greatly enjoyed.

Terry did not like Russia at all.

Terry later brought the Sheik to “It was cold, and the people New Zealand, but unfortunately Terry’s father passed away the day drank a lot and were smelly. after the Sheik arrived.

They didn’t wash for two “He was very understanding,” Terry said, “and deferred his weeks at a time.” arrangements for me. We had a wonderful relationship.” re-traced my steps. I could see my footprints Terry saw a lot of Arabia in those years, in the dust. Just four feet in front of where riding around on a Harley Davidson. He put I had stopped was an enormous hole going this bike on a dhow and sailed up to Kuwait, straight down for about forty feet. It appears a then on to Basra in Iraq. Back in Bahrain meteorite had fallen to earth.” again, he went round and reorganised all the Then Terry was left with his son Chris. Being supermarkets. He said that up till that time a solo dad in Bahrain was not easy, and so they they had only wooden benches and displayed came back to Hawkes Bay where Chris went to nothing properly. Terry organised a team to a boarding school. Chris now lives come up from New Zealand and re-equip every in Christchurch.

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On one occasion Terry was sent down to Dunedin to arbitrate in a meat workers’ dispute. The meat chain had stopped because the halal slaughter was done by Fijian Indians who were demanding high wages. Terry arranged for 26 Muslims from Iraq and Iran to do the job, thus solving the problem.

Walking back into town one day, Terry saw a classic car, a 1936 Chevvy for sale on the side of the road. Terry bought it as a memento of the deal, and he still has it in his garage. In its original condition, it starts first time.

Another assignment was to Yemen. Because of his experience in Bahrain, he was asked to set up a different kind of deal whereby AFFCO delivered the meat, but was funded by the Americans.

Terry made an immediate impact on the local agent, because he spoke in Arabic with a Yemeni accent.

Shiploads of meat were sent to Yemen under this arrangement.

Nine years ago something even better happened in Terry’s exotic life. The lady next door was going through a divorce, and it looked as if she would be thrown out of her house. Terry felt so sorry for her and stepped in and bought the house. They have been together ever since, and were married in April 2004. Naumai (her name means “you are welcome here”) is the love of Terry’s life.

“She’s so lovely,” he says. “She’s a kind and beautiful woman. She’s the best thing that ever happened to me!”

Naumai’s and Terry’s tastes are similar (“we eat very little meat these days”) and keeping fit is important. Naumai is Head of School for Healthcare Practice at AUT. Terry thumbs through some of his battered passports. The pages are a mosaic of immigration stamps from his travels all over the world: Europe, USA, China and Japan, as well as the Middle East.

“In all those years,” he says, “I never lost a penny. It’s been a wonderful life, but it is not about me, it is about God’s blessing on my life.

God has been good to me.”

After such varied and interesting experiences, Terry is planning to write a book. He has plenty of material to work with.

“Eat right, stay fit!” says Terry as we say goodbye. “You only come to this place once – enjoy it while you can”.

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Singing Together Iain Litterick talks to worship leader Jo Cheyne photos by

Devin Hart

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Relocation

Jo Cheyne greets me at the door with a smile. It’s been a tough day at work, but when I sit down with Jo and her husband Ish, the relaxed atmosphere and their laidback approach eases my weariness. Their daughters Samantha (nine) and Emma (seven) pop in to peek at the new stranger, then happily disappear again.

Although Jo has been the “worship curator” Ironically, on neither occasion was Ish in at Windsor for just two days, she doesn’t seem Canterbury (he was working in Wellington nervous. Maybe these Cantabrians don’t sweat both times) and Jo was in Christchurch only the small stuff after enduring the earthquakes for the second quake. After news of the and their aftermath.

September earthquake reached them in Jo has come full circle. Born on the Wellington, Ish and Jo tried desperately to get North Shore, she moved with her family to hold of her parents who were looking after Christchurch after a year. The second child the girls. Eventually they made contact. Their of four, she was born into a musical family, suburb of Dallington had been hit hard. The with both her parents directing music in a three houses on the property were damaged Pentecostal church. Growing up with church and eventually demolished, including Jo’s and music was normal, and Jo has never felt childhood home. But everyone was okay. a crisis of faith or the need to rebel. Even as a When the February 22 quake happened, Ish teenager, when issues in the church eventually was in Wellington and Jo was out for a run. caused her parents and brothers and sister “It was like being in a movie,” says Jo. to leave it, she stayed. Her strong feelings of “Everything seemed to be in slow motion. belonging and identity held her there.

The pavements were pitching and rolling, Always sporty and keen and there were to remain fit, a visit with holes and liquefaction “It was like being in the youth group to a local all around.” a movie,” says Jo. gym brought Ish and Jo Jo kept running and together for the first time. headed for the girls’ “Everything seemed Ish was a personal trainer, school. She was one to be in slow motion. of the first parents to and there is some mention of free gym membership The pavements were arrive, and the children being offered to some of were still in the crouch pitching and rolling, the girls by Ish. The word position. The teachers and there were “stalking” is the only were beginning to take intelligible thing I can holes and liquefaction stock and organize write down between their pupils among all around.” the fits of laughter. They the chaos. became best mates and In Wellington, eventually married.

Ish dropped everything and with another Jo finished school and went to polytech.

Cantabrian set off for Christchurch. They A variety of admin roles followed, with somehow managed to board a cargo ferry, her eventually helping Ish with his along with the first wave of army and rescue company website. services, and drove through the night, collecting water and supplies en route.

Catastrophe But the reality of the aftermath was the It was the quakes of 10 September 2010 and last straw for him.

22 February 2011, however, that upturned “I don’t like camping or roughing it,” Ish their lives, forcing the end of one chapter and admitted, “and dealing with sewerage in ice the beginning of a new one. cream containers is not for me.”

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In the past Ish had been asked by his work to relocate to Auckland, but had declined. Now they couldn’t move him fast enough. Jo knew it was the right thing to do, but the ties of family, friends and familiar scenarios were hard to break.

So Ish started work in Auckland. He is the learning and development manager for Les Mills New Zealand and specialises in the area of performance, leading motivational seminars and delivering training internationally.

After much prayer they sold their property in Christchurch and moved into a house in Browns Bay. Jo’s parents were finally paid out and re-established themselves in Prebbleton.

On their first visit to Windsor Park the Cheynes met Claire, who took an interest in them, and introduced them to others. They felt welcomed, and loved Kidzchurch. After a few weeks they decided to stay.

Our conversation digresses for a moment.

Why was Windsor attractive to so many?

We concluded it was the genuineness of the people and their faith that drew people in.

After a few months, with the girls happy at school and church, Jo decided that given her background and experience, she should probably at least try to use her gift of singing.

“I’d rather get involved than sit and complain!” she smiles.

Quickly, it seemes, she became one of the worship leaders. Despite some initial doubts about applying for the new role, the encouragement of others persuaded her to do so. Jo is pleased her administrative experience (she helps with Ish’s website) and creative streak can now be combined.

I broach the contentious subject of differing musical tastes within the church.

“I think it might be more of an issue in Baptist churches than in Pentecostal ones,” says Jo, slightly tongue-in-cheek. “I think Pentecostal churches are more in tune with what is happening in secular music.”

As we discuss the difficult balance of keeping a diverse congregation such as Windsor Park content, we realize we can’t please everyone – but we can try!

“Hymns have their place. I am happy to use them, but for a purpose, rather than for the sake of inclusion.”

I leave later that evening, more sure than ever that God is in the business of bringing together diverse people, talents and experiences, and using them to achieve his plans for us. It may not take an earthquake to get us moving or dislodge our apathy; but when one comes, if we rely on our heavenly Father we can be sure he will put us in a better place, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

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Never Too Old to be Useful Fay and Trevor Walker tell Julie Belding about their lives, including fourteen years with the Mercy Ships

photo by

Fay: In 1987 someone prophesied over Trevor and me that we would go to the uttermost parts of the earth and would be mother and father to many people. At the time it meant nothing to us. I was interested in mission but I had three “No’s.” I would not do outreach, I would not go to Africa, and I would never live on a ship.

Trevor: As they say, if you want God to laugh, tell him your plans.

Beginnings

Fay: Psalm 139 is my Psalm. God had his hand on my life from when I was in my mother’s womb. I was born to an unmarried mother in a small King Country town, and was adopted when I was ten days old. (My biological father never saw me. He went away to World War II and died in Egypt.) I was raised

by Christian parents (Brethren) in Taupiri, and gave my heart to the Lord at the age of ten, through a camp run by Every Girls’ Rally.

After attending Hamilton Technical College I worked in the city as a ledger machinist for a chartered accountant.

Trevor: I was born in Hamilton and raised on a farm at Orini, the oldest of four children.

My parents were Christians and we attended a Brethren assembly. I left high school in Hamilton at fifteen and a half and worked on my parents’ farm. I’d made a commitment to Christ at a boys’ camp at the age of ten, and confirmed it in my late teens.

At thirteen I contracted polio during the 1948 epidemic, and almost died. They despaired of my life at one stage, and apparently our little church spent a Sunday morning praying for young Trevor. I made a full recovery.

I started to become interested in BTI (which later became Laidlaw College) because I was keen to know the Bible better. But at the same time, as the eldest son I felt obligated to help my Dad on the farm. I wrestled with this for months. When I told Dad I was thinking about BTI, he barely responded. Then a youth leader I went to for advice recommended I should just apply and ask God to work it out.

My mother happened to be out, the day I told Dad I’d been accepted by BTI and would 12 LIFT MAGAZINE

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be going in February. He was silent for a while and then said, “It’s ok. When you were in hospital, I promised God that if he would spare you I would give you back to him.”

During my two years at BTI my interest in mission was awakened. The academic side was a challenge, but finally I did graduate with my class.

Marriage

Trevor: After finishing at BTI I went back to farming at home.

Fay: When we were younger we were going to the same church.

Trevor: I don’t remember you being there!

Fay: Well I couldn’t stand you. And when you went to BTI that was the last straw. But you had two sisters, and our parents knew each other.

Trevor: Later I was helping David Kimpton with a youth group at Huntly.

Fay: I was the pianist and Trevor was a leader. We just sort of grew together. We were married in 1960 at Papatoetoe Baptist – 53 years ago! We have four children and now twelve grandchildren.

Trevor: After marriage we bought a bigger farm with my parents near Hamilton and farmed there for six years. Then I worked in several businesses in Hamilton, and later moved to Te Puke where I managed a timber company.

Discovering roots

Fay: My adoptive mother had once told me, “You won’t want to meet your birth mother.

She smoked and wore lipstick!”

When Karen our eldest daughter was pregnant, an ultrasound scan revealed a problem with the baby’s kidney. The doctor asked me about my family medical history, and of course I knew nothing.

That’s when Trevor and I decided to search for my birth mother.

In the 1980s I found out she was married and living in Christchurch, where our daughter Dianne was also living. I went down for a visit and parked near her address, wondering, is my mother in there?

Eventually I plucked up courage and telephoned. My half-sister answered the phone.

“Is Jean there?” I asked. She never asked who was calling.

Her mother came to the phone and was very quiet.

“I’m Fay,” I said. “I’m your daughter and I’d like to meet you.”

She declined firmly.

I told her I fully understood. She had been brought up in an era when “irregular” births were hushed up.

A month or two later she rang to say she’d like to meet me and suggested we meet at a football field behind her house, while her daughter was at work.

When we found each other she just hugged me, and then stepped back.

“I can see they’ve looked after you,” she said.

“Yes,” I said, “I’ve had a happy upbringing.”

“What did they call you?”

“Fay Dorothy,” I said.

“They must have loved you,” she said. “They kept the name I gave you.”

Then she said, “Oh you’ve got a birthday coming up!”

“Yes,” I replied, “how do you know?” (Duh!) She said, “I’ve never forgotten your birthday. I’ve remembered it every year since you were born.”

By now I was in my mid-forties.

After that we kept in contact. Interestingly, years later when I was on the Mercy Ship, she wrote to me more than anyone else, but she didn’t tell my half-brother or half-sister for about three years. One Christmas she told Raewyn, my half sister, who was absolutely shattered.

I learned that back in 1938, when I was born, my biological mother did not know her mother had put an ad in the personal column of the Herald, advertising my availability for adoption: “Healthy baby girl, ten days old,” it said.

My adoptive mother in Taupiri got on the train and went straight down to Taumarunui.

The first my birth mother knew was when my adoptive mother arrived on the door step.

Can you imagine the hurt she felt?

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She had given birth to me at 21, married ten years later and had a boy and a girl, both of whom I have since met. She had little in life but did tell me she and her father could sing and play any instrument. So that’s where my musical talent came from!

Call to Mission

Trevor: One Sunday night in 1983 a team from the Anastasis spoke at our Brethren church. Brett (our son-in-law) and Karen had been interested in missions but didn’t know what they could do. It thrilled them to see this mission that ordinary people could be involved with. They applied, did a DTS, and within two years were serving with Mercy Ships. That kindled our own interest, and some years later we had the opportunity to visit them on the Anastasis. In 1990 I was made redundant which opened up a new window of opportunity. We packed our bags in preparation to do a DTS on the ship, fully expecting to return later to normal life five months later. But before we’d finished we were offered jobs on board, I as the chief steward and Fay as the dining room manager.

Fourteen years later we came home!

Fay: When Trev felt God calling us into mission in 1991, we were in our fifties. I was running a hand knitting business, supporting Brett and Karen through the proceeds.

“Trevor, I have fifty knitters,” I protested. “I can’t just drop everything like that!”

Then amazingly I was introduced to someone in Tauranga who wanted to buy the business with cash. At that point I knew that no matter what I had to put up with on board the ship, God had called me as clearly as he had called Trevor.

I was on the ship in Sweden when my birth mother died, and Raewyn rang to tell me so I flew home to NZ, as I wanted to meet my relatives.

Arriving late at the funeral in Mangakino I sat in the back pew and watched everyone, wondering who looked like me.

Trevor: We served two and half years on the Anastasis, and later worked on the Caribbean Mercy for as long. We went to many countries including Poland and the Netherlands and Africa, and for a year I was the Director of the ship. Later we lived in Texas, the international base for Mercy Ships.

For eight years I was the Port Coordinator,

visiting various ports to see if they would be suitable for a ship like ours to dock at, and then to secure permission to do so.

This took us to many ports round the US and Canada and some foreign ports.

Fay: It was the most exciting time of our married life. We still have a passion for missions and Mercy Ships. Since returning to New Zealand in 2004 we’ve continued to promote and pray for the ministry.

Over the years we learned to live by faith and to realise how special people are. Everyone has a gifting. It’s a matter of tapping into it, and growing in it. Our gifts of encouragement and discernment were used on the ship, and now are being used in the Connections ministry at church, where we help people to discover where they fit.

I love it!

My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

psalm 139:15-16 LIFT MAGAZINE 13

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“we are a bunch of crazy young people who believe that if you can wear the same t-shirt for the whole year, you can change the world.”

the “i am” c 14 LIFT MAGAZINE

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challenge by

Elle Treweek. photos by Ash Binnie.

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feature The I Am Challenge is becoming a global movement of youth passionate about making a difference.

According to the website these young people want to “break the cycle of the materialistic generation and encourage youth within New Zealand and abroad to live for a cause greater than themselves.”

problems. For the women on the street, prostitution is their only option. In our world, if On 19 July 2012, Amber Deeble and Rebecca you can do something, why wouldn’t you?”

Smith accepted the I Am Challenge – the To these two girls the I Am Challenge is challenge to wear the same T-shirt for 365 an opportunity to support a cause much days in order to fundraise for their chosen bigger than themselves, a chance to spread cause, Freeset. The girls initially wanted to raise awareness, and to make a difference. With $4000 for Freeset over the year, but increased the I Am Challenge they are not just asking for that goal to $20,000 right before they started money; they are inviting people to come up the challenge. Now, more than half way and talk to them. through this twelve-month challenge, they The challenge has certain conditions. No one have raised more than $3000 and have much can have more than ten T-shirts or singlets, more pledged. and all must have “I AM [name]” printed Amber and Rebecca started the challenge on the front. The only choice available is the half way through their final year at Rangitoto colour. With the exception of weddings, College. After waiting funerals, balls, work and years to finally express their other formal events, you “It isn’t going to end must wear one of your individuality through what they could wear to school when this challenge ten tops every day for one in the seventh form, these year. And just to clear is done, It’s bigger two girls chose to give up things up (something the that freedom in order to girls are often asked), no, than a T-shirt.” give some people whom they don’t sleep in them. they had never met a some Nor do they swim in them. freedom and hope.

And yes, on cold days, they can wear jumpers I asked them why they chose this particular over them. cause to fundraise for. They had both heard So what were the highlights and lowlights about the Freeset business in Kolkata, India, of the year so far? They agreed the pros far and when they read more about what it was outweighed the cons. One of the biggest doing to help women out of the sex trade into sacrifices for them is not being able to wear better lives, both Amber and Rebecca caught dresses. With many eighteenth birthday parties the vision to support this work. being celebrated among their peers, Amber “In our beautiful country we’re so consumerand Rebecca realise their wardrobe is limited to driven,” they explained. “We take things for a few colours and not the most attractively-cut granted and complain about our first-world T-shirts. On the other hand, both girls describe

a conversation they have had with someone whom they have influenced through their dedication. They have found their peers now respect them in their decision, and some also support them through sponsorship. They have found that wearing a shirt with your name on it is an open invitation for anyone to start up a conversation and ask what you are doing and why. Then they get to share their heart for the Freeset business and ministry, and are encouraged to keep pressing on. They hope to visit Freeset next January, ready for whatever else God will show them.

“It isn’t going to end when this challenge is done,” they say. “It’s bigger than a T-shirt.”

On the last day of the I Am Challenge (18 July, 2013) Amber and Rebecca will be doing one last fundraising effort. They invite you to join them and support a great cause at the same time. They would love it if you came along to bid against one another for the honour of choosing their outfits on their first day of “freedom.”

To find out more about the I Am Challenge: • Visit the I Am Challenge website at www.iamchallenge.org • Email Amber and Rebecca at iamambecca@gmail.com • Sponsor them through cash donations or cheques. As well as over the internet, their bank details are: ASB, I AM CHALLENGE NZ, 12-3428-0045748-00, code: fset.

Then please email them with your name and donation amounts for their records.

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“Sums All Day” Julie Belding talks to Dennis and Margaret Barber photo by

“I remember saying while still at primary school,” says Dennis Barber, “that the thing I most wanted for my life was to do sums all day!”

Evidently God took him at his word because that’s what he ended up doing, although often in ways they could never have imagined.

I’ve been shown into Dennis and Margaret’s comfortable living room in their apartment in the Settlers complex in Albany. Over a cup of tea I listen, enthralled, to their stories.

Beginnings

Dennis was born in 1932 and grew up in Mount Eden. He wasn’t raised in a particularly Christian home, but he did go to Sunday school as most kids did back then.

He started work with BNZ in 1950, at the same time studying accountancy at University, and became a chartered accountant in 1959.

Margaret was born in Waihi but her family moved around a lot. Her mother was a Christian and Margaret was not, but she did go to Sunday School. After high school she worked in an Auckland bank, and went to night school to learn secretarial skills.

After finishing night school she was bored with nothing to do, and got a job as a cashier at a theatre.

After work one night she went to a party with a friend. It was billed as a non-drinking party but that didn’t bother her. As she walked in the door Dennis came in from the other side of the room.

“I was there because a colleague from the bank had asked me to accompany her to this party,” he explains. “I knew it was a nonalcoholic do, so I had my own whisky flask and had been out in the wash house having a swig.

Devin Hart

explained this to her Christian colleague who arranged for Margaret to visit the missionary after work.

“She led me to the Lord!” Margaret says.

Fiji When she went home Dennis was next door Not long afterward they went to see a rugby having a drink with friends. match – Auckland versus Fiji, and Dennis said “Come on home, I’ve got something exciting to Margaret, “Let’s go and live in Fiji!” She, to tell you,” she told him. “I’ve just become being an adventurous sort, agreed. So he a Christian!” applied for a transfer to Suva and got it.

“What a shame,” Dennis replied.

They were there for three years.

“Why?” Margaret was offered a job as a corporate “Well, I know I’m going to hell,” he said, secretary, working in an office for a company “and so are all our friends. You’re going to be director, and it happened that one of the other a bit lonely.” secretaries had just become a Christian.

Margaret was upset, and says she “Biblebashed” him for a few days.

“When I became a Christian I Finally he said to her, was so excited,” said Margaret.

“You reckon you have a changed heart? Well, shut “I thought, why didn’t I know this up and prove it!” before? Why didn’t my Mum tell She went to her friend in tears, describing me I could ask Jesus into my life?

Dennis’s reaction.

Why did I have to wait all this time?” “Well, you just do what he says,” said the friend.

“She was one of the first people I ever met,” Two months later Dennis went to church Margaret says, “who wasn’t embarrassed to with Margaret. After the service they went to talk about God.” the home of the missionary, who led Dennis to They had some good conversations the Lord. and the woman invited Margaret to her “When I became a Christian I was so brethren church. excited,” said Margaret. “I thought, why didn’t But Margaret says she was not prepared to I know this before? Why didn’t my Mum tell go to a “Thou Shalt Not” church. me I could ask Jesus into my life? Why did I Eventually, however, she became desperate have to wait all this time?” enough to attend it.

When she found a woman who was teaching In 1959 she was listening to a Billy Graham a child evangelism course, Margaret knew this broadcast at the church one Sunday evening was for her. She went to all the lectures and and felt an urge to respond to the altar call. did her first exam two weeks before their first But she had the missionary’s little daughter on son was born. her lap and couldn’t move. The next day she The other thing she did in Fiji was marching.

I came in, saw Margaret across the room, and that started it.”

They got married a year later, in 1957.

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feature A new association was starting up and they heard Margaret had once done marching and been a judge. So they invited her to train a panel of judges.

“I was 24 and I freaked out,” she admits, “But I did it, and eventually became a chief marching judge.”

back to new Zealand

When they returned to New Zealand they joined a Baptist church in Lower Hutt.

There Margaret heard about another training course in child evangelism and became involved in that again. Soon they had three little children, and Dennis became treasurer of the Child Evangelism Fellowship in Wellington and nationally.

The bank moved them to several different towns after that, including Auckland, Kawerau (where he became a manager), Hastings, Hamilton, and finally back to Auckland. By now Dennis was the administrative leader of a large region north and south of Auckland, and the Barbers had five children. (Today they have sixteen grandchildren, the youngest being twelve.)

Dennis was busy with his career, but he served as a deacon in almost every church they attended. He helped with the Boys Brigade, too, but says his ministry didn’t really blossom until after he retired from the bank in 1989, at age fifty-seven.

“I hate to think what my life would have been like now if I hadn’t got saved,” he says.

have skills, will travel In his last month at work Dennis spotted an intriguing ad in Challenge Weekly. The international Nepal fellowship (INF) – a medical mission – wanted an administrator. The ad ran for three weeks, and finally Dennis told his secretary, “I can’t ignore this any longer. Let’s write and apply for it.”

They did and he got the job.

Then Margaret’s father, who lived with them, developed terminal cancer and they couldn’t

go. Dennis apologised to the mission, and they She ran a ministry to rehabilitate prostitutes. said, “Well, please come over every year and Three people had tried to do her accounts just audit our accounts for us.” over the years. So Dennis and Margaret visited He did this for the next four years her for three days and he sorted her books.

In 1990 Dennis was requested to go to a Afterwards they returned to Bangkok every church in Singapore to help out. He did this for year for the next eleven years. two months. Then on the way back from his In all their accounting trips the Barbers flew first trip to Nepal he was reading in the book at their own expense, but in many places of Peter and came across these words: accommodation was provided for them.

Each of you should use whatever gift you church roles at home have received to serve others, faithfully Back in Auckland, Dennis served as the administering God’s grace in its various forms.

1 Peter 4:10 administrator of Victory Christian Church for five years, during which time they continued to What Dennis heard was, “If you know make their annual visits to overseas missions. how to do something, that’s what I want you They went to North East India to help a to do.” ministry that was having a turbulent time with “I’d been in finance and accounting all its finances, and were based in West Bengal my life,” he explained. “So I said, ‘OK, Lord, and Assam. if that’s what you want me When Dennis to do, that’s what I’ll do. retired from his But where?’” role at VCC the About that time a large “so i said, ‘ok, lord, if Barbers decided church in Singapore that that’s what you want it was time to they related to was in severe me to do, that’s what look for a church administrative difficulties. nearer their The senior pastor was i’ll do. but where?’” home in Mairangi forming a new leadership Bay. That’s how group and was inspired they discovered by a passage in 1 Kings 6 Windsor Park Baptist. They started attending, which stated how Solomon constructed the and before long Dennis found himself on the temple with material and work done offsite.

Global Missions committee.

Moreover, “there was to be no noise in the The last time they went to India was to Binu’s temple” (verse 7). The pastor needed trained wedding in 2010. Binu was a Nepali living in and knowledgeable people, and told Dennis Shillong, who used to help Dennis with the the administrative role was for him. church accounts, and Margaret had trained her So Dennis became the overseer and worked in children’s ministry. there for four years, achieving the goals They count their Asian ministries as “an that were needed. Meanwhile Margaret did ministry with the women, teaching them family absolute privilege from God” but believe this particular season has come to an end. and parenting skills.

“God has enabled us to train local people to Then Dennis was invited to go to Pokhara, do the work,” Margaret says. “I believe good Nepal, to fill in for three months as the mission leaders will always replace themselves.” accountant. Before they left, an old friend in Dennis adds, “One thing we learned from Bangkok, Patricia Green, rang them. working overseas was patience, particularly “On your way to Nepal,” she said, “can you in Kathmandu!” stop by and help me?”

PORTRAIT AND WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY

CALL DEVIN HART 021 191 9995 II devin@theverticalline.co.nz LIFT MAGAZINE 19

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“Please don’t take me now!”

Cliff Miller writes of his not-so-ordinary life

photo by

In 1981, while desperately ill in hospital, I had an outof-body experience. The previous day I’d been prayed for by two of my pastors after the doctor had stepped back, indicating he could do no more. I survived the night but was still very weak.

Now I was starting to lose my grip on life.

There were no bright flashes of light or drama, 20 LIFT MAGAZINE

Belinda Bradley

but as the day wore on I knew I was losing touch with the world. Yet I felt very peaceful.

Everything seemed to be slowing down. Helen was asked to come to the hospital and told not to come on her own. But they couldn’t locate the specialist who had been working on me – and when the doctor finally arrived, late in the day, the lights of my life had gone out.

I had stopped breathing and the medical team immediately ordered the crash trolley. I recall hearing some noise and felt searing pain in my arm as they pumped adrenalin into my system

to try to revive me. While the team of medical staff were working on me, I remember looking down from the ceiling of my room and seeing the doctors and nurses working on me, in the bed. I saw them putting adrenalin in me, and putting the paddles on my chest. I was also aware there was another Person with me and I believed it was the Lord.

“Please don’t take me now!” I pleaded. “My children are too young.”

And then I came to, back in the bed, with the doctor’s arms around me.

“Where have you been?” he said. “We thought we’d lost you.”

Had I chosen to, I could have gone to heaven, but evidently the Lord still had an earthly ministry and purpose for me.

When some of the medical staff returned that evening, one of them said, “I was just coming back to see if you were still with us.”

After several more days in the hospital I was allowed to go home.

Early years

I was born the fifth of five children in Traralgon, a country town about 100 miles east of Melbourne where a large paper mill

feature was located. My mother was a born-again education from kindy through to year six at Christian and we kids all went to the local Kristin School. We have a strong marriage, and Sunday School and then youth group. Mum our three daughters and four grandchildren are was a stalwart of the church. Dad was not all involved in their various churches. a churchgoer but fully supported Mum in Shingles her involvements.

In 1982 I started a new job as an HR manager Our family was a well-known sporting family for the Yellow Pages. It was a big company in the community and my two brothers were (650 employees) and I enjoyed it, but I’d only tradesmen and in the volunteer fire service. been with them a short time when my muscles After leaving high school at sixteen I went to began getting sore. work in the paper mill where my two brothers I thought I was getting the flu. But when were already employed and where Dad was driving to work I felt so unwell that I pulled off the chief fire officer. Hired as a production the road and went to my doctor’s surgery. He cadet, I was a foreman within three years. took one look at me and During my cadetship I admitted me to hospital, did a diploma of paper “I just want to where I was diagnosed technology and paper experience a day with severe shingles! I was science – a four year course without pain,” in a tent-style cover for – by correspondence, from seventeen days, and in pain RMIT, the Royal Melbourne from neck to waist. I literally had sores all over Institute of Technology. After I left the mill and my body. joined the county fire authority, I also did a The shingles weakened me considerably diploma of fire engineering which enabled me and I was off work for weeks. Fortunately the to recommend fire protection management kept my job open for me. for industries.

Health issues

As a young man I played tennis and did athletics (including sprinting) for years. But my immune system had never really worked well and my health problems began while I was still in my teens. I always took longer to recover from childhood illnesses. At seventeen I had surgery for a cartilage tear in my left knee – the beginning of a long period of knee and spinal troubles. I had four further operations on that leg and finally a total knee replacement. I still required four more spinal operations, most of which have been done here in New Zealand.

Marriage

For years I was a leader at Scripture Union boys’ camps and at one of them I met Helen, who was a camp cook. As our camp was finishing, hers was about to start, and the two teams had lunch together before the kids arrived. We had similar interests in youth work and we just clicked. We used to see each other every year when Scripture Union brought together thousands of camp workers from all over the state for a full day’s training.

When I moved to Melbourne a friend and his wife invited me to church at Kew Baptist. It just so happened that Helen already attended that church, and they arranged for Helen to meet us there. So it was a set-up!

Helen was teaching at Carey Grammar School at the time and we got married in 1973 at the Carey College chapel.

Helen has taught in various different schools since then – state and private, Christian and secular, including special education. For the last twenty years she has taught religious

Healing meeting

However I continued to have setbacks. In fact the pastors at my church used to wonder if I were under a satanic attack, when either my back or the immune system gave out again.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

After a bout of viral pneumonia, when both my lungs collapsed, we moved to Perth on medical advice where the climate was drier.

But soon afterwards I developed ME (chronic fatigue syndrome) for which there is no cure.

The doctors said my immune system was so weak that it wouldn’t fight anything. So they treated the symptoms with immunoglobulin infusions every six weeks for several years.

Then, as the period of relief shortened, I had them every two weeks. Finally the doctors said all this was damaging my body, and stopped the infusions.

We moved to New Zealand in 1990 (I took up a new job in HR consulting) and joined Murrays Bay/ Windsor Park Baptist Church. For the past twenty years, however, I’ve been unable to work full time due to my poor general health and physical state of my spine. Finally I was forced to retire and am still not energetic or able to walk far. But I still do some consulting work on contract.

Music has always been a big part of my life.

I’ve enjoyed singing and recently rejoined the worship roster after being off for a few months following more spinal surgery.

I’d been in pain for many years due to spinal deterioration and various other problems, but had always been sceptical about divine healing.

We were having a week of evangelistic meetings at our church lead by a visiting pastor, and I went along for the teaching. One of my friends invited me to go to the healing Why does God allow so service on the Friday night. much pain?

“Nah,” I protested. “I’m ok.”

I believe I have a ministry of empathy and Unbeknown to me, they got a group of understanding that I wouldn’t have had people to pray during the afternoon that I otherwise. I’ve sat and prayed with cancer would go to the meeting that night. I went, and at the end they had an altar call for people patients and others who were desperately ill, at a time when no one else could cope with what who needed healing. Hundreds of people they were seeing. The extensive counselling went forward and it went on for hours. I felt I work I’ve done is because of needed to go up too.

God’s touch on my life.

“What can I pray for you?”

“We believe the A year ago my life hung in asked the pastor. the balance for some time “I just want to experience a Lord gave your while I was in both Auckland day without pain,” I said. whole body a and Mercy Hospitals following So he prayed for me and shake-up!” fifteen hours of surgery to within twenty seconds I have my spine rebuilt. keeled over. They carried People say to me, “Cliff, what else is going to me to the back of the platform where three happen to you?” leaders knelt and prayed over me for about an But I know the Lord has everything under hour. I was unconscious throughout, and the control, and that I couldn’t have coped if he next day they told me I’d actually levitated off were not at the centre of my life. I’ve never the floor and all the muscles had rippled in my been tempted to doubt his presence. body. My eyes had rolled back in my head and Yes, there have been times when I could I spoke in tongues. All this was verified by a happily have walked away from it all. But number of witnesses.

“We believe the Lord gave your whole body a after recovering from situations when no one expected me to live, I’ve come to shake-up!” they said later. understand that nothing happens by accident.

It was a real awakening for me, and the Through the most difficult times God is start of some significant healing in my body always faithful. and spirit.

LIFT MAGAZINE 21

feature “There was devastation just metres from the car, but where we were, it was calm.

Jesus was with us.”

In the Shelter of the Most High Sophie Rice talks to Colette Chase and Chrissy Shadbolt who survived the Hobsonville tornado

The two women who sat opposite me in the cafe spoke of a crazy day that had unfolded only two months before. As we sipped coffee they told me how they had seen birds stationary in midflight from the great gusts of wind that were blowing against them, how they had watched tree branches and debris hurtling towards them as they sat, shielded, in their car.

Two friends, Colette Chase and Chrissy Shadbolt, didn’t generally “go out Whenuapai way,” they said, but on 6 December 2012 they found themselves in the heart of the Hobsonville tornado.

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Colette and Chrissy were driving their children together to a homeschool gathering at a friend’s house in Whenuapai when they noticed the clouds around them growing darker and more menacing. Soon these gave way to heavy, blinding rain.

“You could only see the other cars’ headlights,” Chrissy says.

As the wind picked up and the rain continued to batter their car, they were forced to pull over into a ditch on the corner of Kauri and Puriri Road. In the following minutes time seemed to drag, Colette explains. She recalls the extraordinary events of the five-minute tornado. The wind began to race around and under them, slightly lifting the car, but because of the ditch they were perfectly placed in, it didn’t overturn them. Items of debris from the road, including full recycle bins, were picked up and flung at them – yet they didn’t hit or

break the windows. A bus shelter was flung a few metres up the road and some large trees were snapped in half close by.

Then as they looked out ahead of their car they saw a dark shape rolling through the rain towards them. It was like a surreal movie moment, but as it came into focus, Colette and Chrissy realised it was a runaway boat speeding towards them on its trailer.

At this point Colette spoke out in faith. She says she just “took authority in Jesus’ name and commanded the boat to stop.” Then just meters away it halted, while the winds continued in force.

“There was devastation just metres from the car,” she added, “but where we were, it was calm. Jesus was with us.”

As they relate their experience to me in this little café, I realise something much deeper has gone on for these two women. God radiates through every word they speak. Colette recalls that as they sat in the car with her child and friends, in the middle of the Hobsonville tornado, all she could think of was prayer. The only certainty they could cling to was Jesus.

They remembered the opening words from Psalm 91: “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

As the tornado raged on outside the car, trapping them inside, the two friends prayed for God to be their fortress. And he revealed to Colette and Chrissy the truth of his presence.

The experience is still raw for them and brings tears as they describe the impact it had.

These aren’t tears over the experience itself but rather from what God revealed to them through it.

“There is a reason I’m still here today,” says Colette. “The Lord has shown me again there is so much power in his name, but I have a part to play too, I must speak that name out and tell these mountains to move! The Lord is my refuge and comfort, even in the mightiest of my storms.”

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LIFT MAGAZINE 23

theosart gallerY

This issues paintings displayed in the Theosart gallery were done by numerous art students. Amber Emm is the artist and teacher under whose guidance they worked. The students work in the Kumeu Arts Centre every Thursday night they can, and have started to develop their own styles with Amber’s help. The artists are Diana Roband, Christine Durrant and Aaron Young. photos by

Dani Mackay

By Aaron Young.

24 LIFT MAGAZINE

theosart gallerY

By Diana Roband

By Christine Durrant

LIFT MAGAZINE 25

Q & a

ask grant!

Here are some good Q’s people have asked recently, and some A’s from Pastor Grant

Given this series on the cross we’re doing, why isn’t there a cross in our logo?

That’s a good question! When we were redesigning the logo for Windsor Park a few years ago we noticed many churches didn’t have a cross in their logo and many did. It was probably about 50:50. But we also wondered about what people thought about the cross.

In essence, we wondered about what we’re talking about in this series – what does the image mean? On balance we thought the cross image might be confusing for people.

It’s confusing enough for Christians, let alone everyone else! More than that, we believed that if we were living our lives in a positive way as followers of Jesus, then the effect of the cross is much better displayed through our living than in our logo. In my first message in The Cross series (if you missed it, it’s on our website) I mentioned our rationale for the logo we’re using. The cross is still very central to our faith and practice and we hope its effect is lived out all over Auckland every day of the week through our words, attitudes, and actions.

I see in the newsletter that you’re offering complimentary ear plugs on Sundays. Why are you doing that?

I knew I’d get this question! Some people might think it acknowledges that we’re always far too loud (I see those nods!) Actually we have all kinds of challenges with our music at Windsor Park, most of them because of our physical building. Our auditorium is a converted tavern that was not designed acoustically. So sound bounces because of the beams, the roof angles, the hard back wall etc.

Some parts of the auditorium are louder than others, as you discover from experience. We also lack a robust sound system, so getting a good balance is difficult. We acknowledge, too, that ears change over time and various health factors dictate what experience we have with sound. Controlling sound levels with ear plugs is one way we can personally deal with this. (As an example, the musicians now have in-ear monitors so they can control their levels, and they’re all different). It’s beneficial for some people, so we just wanted to put it out there as an option. Give it a try and let me know your experience.

I’ve heard the name Windsor Park Hub Limited. What’s that about?

Windsor Park Hub Limited is a limited liability company we established to operate our trading activities in. Just as a charitable trust is the best legal entity for Equip to operate under, our legal advisors tell us a charitable company is the best vehicle for activities that directly impact on our wider community. Currently Small Fries Christian Childcare Centre, cafewindsor, and the recently established WindsorCreative operate inside this structure. Windsor Park Hub has its own governance team of directors who are appointed by the elders and ratified at the AGM. Several other activities are being considered for implementation, and these will all be reported in the annual report of the company, a section of the annual report of Windsor Park. We seek to keep our structures simple, so minimal time is spent on administrative work and maximum time is spent on the ministry opportunities before us.

Having Windsor Park Hub Limited integrally linked to Windsor Park allows this to happen.

Got a question for Grant?

Write in (grant.harris@windsorpark.org.nz) and get your question answered in the next issue of LIFT.

MAGAZINE & BUSINESS PRINT DESIGN Contact: Lewis 0211466404 lewis@hcreative.co.nz www.hcreative.co.nz 26 LIFT MAGAZINE

Equip has two new Services and we need your help

The Totara Club In December Equip opened a Day Care Dementia programme in the Totora Room. This is an exciting new ministry between Equip and Windsor Park Baptist Church. It is a funded service by Waitemata District Health Board (WDHB) and from March we will be able to include private clients as well as those referred by WDHB. We still need some donations of good quality household goods, including furniture, tables, board games etc. We have created a warm homely feel and so would welcome contributions to add to this.

A full list of what is needed is at the information desk at Windsor Park Church or available from sue.beresford@equip.net.nz.

We are also keen to have a number of volunteers from Windsor Park helping out in the Totara Club and this could involve a morning, afternoon or whole day on a regular basis. Or maybe coming around lunchtime to help with that busy period would suit you. There would always be Equip trained staff present and we see the Volunteers as adding extra value to this service and keeping the connection to the Windsor Park community strong.

Adult Respite Service Shortly we will be opening our new Respite Service. We will provide short term support to seven people for between 4 – 10 nights on average on the North Shore. This support will be given in a safe and comfortable home like environment where dedicated staff and volunteers will strive to support our guests on their journey to recovery.

For this service we are still needing to purchase a Massage chair and a Sensory Kit which we consider important to help people who come to stay. They are unfunded and so we are asking Windsor Park members to consider contributing towards the purchase of these. More details on these items can also be found at the Windsor Park Church information desk and if you would like to help us out with these, please email sue.erby@equip.net.nz

We are very grateful for all the contributions so far and would appreciate your prayerful support for both of these services.

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The Cross by

Dani Mackay

The cross And its ignored symbolism Is constantly hidden In all of our lives.

But on that night, The cross Stood bold and high; By no means was it hidden.

On that glorious night Upon Calvary Hill Was a flawless Saviour Telling us, begging us, Not to keep him hidden.

His love abounds, His mercy and grace never fail And we get all of this for a small price: To never keep him hidden.

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